Door latch



Feb. 16, 1932. w. R. scHLAGE DOOR LATCH Filed DeC. 19, 1928 IN VEN TOR.

9* M- TTURNEYS.

Patented Feb. 16, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WALTER R. SCHLAGE, OFSAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGN OR TO SCHLAGE LOCK COMPANY,` OF SANFRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA., A CORPORATION 0F CALIFORNIA DOOR LATCHApplication iiled December 19, 1928. Serial No, 327,114.

This invention relates to door latches, and especially to improvementsin the door latch illustrated in my former patent entitled Door latch,issued June 26, 1928, Patent 5 Number 1,674,841.

The door latch illustrated in Patent Number 167,841, embodies aknob-actuated reacting unit and a latching unit, each unit beingenclosed in a housing, and each unit being self-contained. Means aredisclosed for interlocking the housings and the contained mechanismswhen they are assembled in a door. Means are disclosed whereby lateraladjustment between the housings and the contained mechanisms ispermitted, thereby making it possible to fit the two units to doors ofvarying thicknesses, and means are provided for securing the units withrelation to the door when installed, the last named means being a pairof screws. 'lhese screws will at times gradually work loose due tolconstant vibration and jars produced by turning and releasing the doorknobs, and by slamming of the doors, and when this happens there is apossibility of partial or complete separation of the two units, whichwill either am or render the mechanism inoperative.

The object of the present invention is twofold; first to provide meansfor positively preventing separation of the two units when connected andinstalled in a door, and sec ondly to prevent releasing of the fasteningor securing screws.

rlhe door latch, and the improvements made ther'eon are shown by way ofillustration in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of the latch actuating unit, said viewshowing the housing removed,

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the latch unit,

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the shutter plate, showing the innerface of the same,

Fig. 4 is another perspective view of the shutter plate, showing theexterior face of the same,

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing the latch actuating unit and thelatching unit connected and assembled,

Fig. 6 is a detailed sectional view showing one of the securing screws,

Fig. 7 is an end view showing the latch actuating unit and the latchingunit connected, said view showing the housing with the latch actuatingunit and one of the cylinders in section.

Referring to the drawings in detail, particularly to Figs. 2 and 5, Aindicates the housing of the latch actuating unit and B the housing ofthe latching unit. T his last named housing is cylindrical and elongatedin shape, as shown in Fig. 2 and it is secured to a face plate indicatedat 2 in any suitable manner. 'l`he latch or bolt proper is indicated at3. lt is provided with an extension which extends through the rear endof the housing and the extension terminates in a pair of lugs 4. Therear end of the housing B is similarly provided with a pair of lugs,indicated at 5, o. The lugs 5, 5 serve the function of interlocking thehousings A and l5, as will hereinafter be described, while the lugs 4 onthe extension of the bolt 3 serve the function of interlocking themechanisms of the latch actuating unit and the latching unit.

The latch actuating unit is best shown in Figs. 1 and 5. It consists ofan end cover plate generally indicated at C, towhich is secured aretractor guide generally indicated at D, the retractor guide consistingof a face plate 7 and top and bottoni plates 8 and 9, lugs being formedfrom the top and bottom plates S and 9 as indicated at l0, and beingturned at right` angles thereto so as to be parallel with the faceplates 7. The lugs 10 are perforated and threaded, as shown at 11, andthey serve the function of receiving the securing screws as willhereinafter be described.

Slidably mounted within the retractor guide D is a retractor, theforward end of which is shown. lhe forward end consists of a pair ofsparated fingers, as indicated at 4a., these, fingers interlocking withthe lugs 4, 4 when the two unitsI are assembled. The face plate 7,together with the end plates 8 and 9 and the cover plate C function as aguide for thc retractor. The face plate 7 also forms a support for aspindle member 12 and a similar spindle is journalled in the cover plateC. Bothspindles carry a knob, such as indicated at 14, only one knobbeing illustrated in the present instance.

The housing A covers the mechanism shown in Fig. 1, to wit the retractorguide and the retractor proper. It also forms a journal member for theinner end of the spindle indicated at 12 as it is provided with a hubo-r hearing extension, such as shown at 15, see Fig. 5. The housing isprovided with perforations 17, 17 which are adapted to align with thethreaded openings 11, 11 of the lugs 10, and the housing is also eutaway or slotted, as indicated at 18, to form a pair of lips 19, 19 withwhich the lugs 5 of the latch housing B are adapted to engage. Vhen theretractor and the retractor guide has been placed in position on thecover section D, and the spindles are applied, it is only necessary toplace the housing A in position by slipping it endwise over the spindle-12, and the re` tractor guide. When so positioned it is supported by theannular surface 2O formed on the cover plate. If it is then desired toconnect the two units, it is only necessary to place the lugs 5 inalignment with the lips 19 of the housing A and the lugs 4 in alignmentwith the lingers 4a of the retractor and then to move the housing B inthe direction of arrow a, see Fig. 5. When this is accomplished aninterlock has been formed between the housings A and B and similarly aninterlock between the retractor and the lugs 4, hence when the retractoris actuated by either of the spindles reciprocal movement will beimparted by the retractor to the latch or bolt 3, and it will be movedinwardly or outwardly with relation to the face plate 2 as the case maybe.

When the mechanism as a whole is to be installed in a door it is rstnecessary to drill a hole through the door from face to face which has adiameter substantially equal to that of the exterior covering A, andsecondly to drill a hole edgewise through the door which is equal indiameter to the outside diameter of the housing B. When these holes aredrilled the housing B is inserted through the opening drilled throughthe edge of the door and the housing A is then inserted through theother hole, in a direction transversely to the unit B. v

,When the housing A is being inserted lips 19 will engage and slide overthe lugs 5 and the fingers 4a will similarly engage and slide over thelugs 4. An end lock is thus formed between the housings and thecontained mechanisms and after this has been accomplished it isnecessary to secure both units with relation to the door.

The latchiiw unit is secured by inserting screws through the openingsshown at 22, while the latch actuating unit is secured by a clampingplate 23 and4 a pair of securmg screws, one of which is indicated at 24.The screws 24 pass through perforations in the clamping plate and theythen pass through the perforations 17. These align with the threadedlugs 10, and a threaded engagement is thus made, the screws being turneduntil the clamping plate tightly engages the tace of the door.

An escutcheon plate 25 is then appliedand finally the inner knob, whichis not here illustrated. This completes the installation of the twounits.

' It has already been stated that the screws 24 have a tendency to workloose due to vibration and jars, and that when this happens it ispossible that the two units may become partially or wholly separated,causing the mechanism either to jam or to become inoperative. Thepresent invention consists in providing means lor preventing separationof the two units and also in providing mean.`I for preventing, or atleast resisting release of the securing screws 24. This is accomplishedas follows:

By referring to Figs. 3 and 4 a substantially circular plate isillustrated. This plate is provided with a central opening 30, to permitit to be shipped endwise over the spindle 12. The peripheral edges ofthe plate are provided with perforations or openings 31, which areadapted to align with the threaded openings 11 and the peripheral edgesare also provided with two inwardly bent retaining lugs 32. One edge ofthe plate is cut away, as indica-ted at 33 for the purpose of limitingrotation ot' the plate, and the opposite edge ofthe plate is cut away,as indi'- c-ated at 34 to permit the lugs 4 and 5 to clear and enter thehousing A when the two units are being assembled. The clearance allowedby the cutting away o'f the edge of the plate, as indicated at 34 isclearly shown in Fig. 7.

l/Vhen the mechanism of the latch actuating unit has been assembled asshown in Fig. 1, and before the housing A is applied, the shutter plateis slipped over the spindle 12 and moved inwardly on the same until itsnugly engages the face plate 7 of the retractor guide. The housing A isthen applied and the shutter plate is thus interposed between the endplate 17a of the housing and the face plate 7 of the retractor guide,see Figs. 5 and 6. When the shutter plate is applied it is posi tionedso that the cut away portion 34 will register with the fingers 4a of theretractor, and also with the cut away portion 18 of the housing, or inother words it is positioned as shown in Fig. 7. Hence, when the housingA is applied, unit B may be connected as previously described.

After the unit B has been connected or inter-locked, as shown in Fig. 5a partial rotation is transmitted tothe shutter plate, this rotationalmovement being limited by the cut away portion 33 and a lug 83a isformed on the face plate 7. Lug 33a engages one end of the port-lon 33when the cut away portion 34 registers with the slot 18 and the lug 33aengages the opposite end of the portion 33 when the perforations 31 aliwith the erforations 17 and 11, and as t e lu s 32 a ign with theperforations 31, all will e brought into register while the portion ofthe shutter plate indicated at 35 will extend across the slotted end 18of the housin and thus pre.- vent removal of the unit B. ence theshutter plate serves its first function, to wit that of preventingsepa-ration of the two units.

The second function of the shutter plate is to prevent release of thesecuring screws'24. This is accomplished by means of the lugs 32. Whenthe screws 24 are inserted, after the units have been placed in positionin the door, it will pass in under the lugs 32. These lugs extend intothe path of the screws and are slightly displaced in a. forward positionas the screws are insertedv and as they are made of spring or yieldingmetal they bite, or frictionally engage the screws to such an extentthat vibration or jars will not permit the screws to rotate or release.Hence, it will be seen that the insertion of the shutter plate shown inFigs. 3 and 4 is important, as it prevents separation of the two unitswhen installed, it prevents release of the securing screws, andfurthermore the securing screws themselves, by passing through theperforations 31 of the shutter plates in turn serve as a means forpreventing rotation of the shutter plate. j

While the shutter plate is more or less specifically' described, I wish-it understood that this and other features of the invention may bechanged within the scope of the appended claims, similarly that thematerials and finishes of the several parts employed may be such as themanufacturer may decide, or varying conditions or uses may demand.

aving thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

1. In a device of the character described a latch actuating unitcomprising a housing, a retractor and a retractor guide mounted withinthe housing, a spindle extending through the housing and adapted toactuate the retractor, ashutter plate interposed between the housing andthe retractor guide, a clamping plate cooperating with the latchactuating unit, a pair of screws extending through the clamping plate,the housing and the shutter plate and having threaded engagement withthe latch actuating unit, and means carried byl the shutter plate forfrictionally securing the screws against rotation.

2. In a device of the character described a latch actuating unitcomprising a housing, a retractor and -a retractor guide mounted withinthe housing, a spindle extending through the housing and adapted toactuate the retractor, a shutter plate interposed between the housingand the retractor guide, a clamping plate cooperating with the latchactuating unit, a air of screws extending throu h the clamplng plate,the housing and the slutter plate and having threaded engagement withthe latch actuating unit, and a. pair of lugs carried by the shutterplate and frictionally engaging the screws to secure them againstrotation.

` 3. In a device of the character described a latch actuating unitcomprising a housing, a retractor and a retractor guide mounted withinthe housing, a spindle extending through the housing and adapted toactuate the retractor, a shutter plate interposed between the housingand the retractor guide, a

clamping plate cooperating with the latch actuating unit, a pair ofscrews extending through the clamping plate, the housing and the shutterplate and having threaded engagement with the latch actuating unit, alatch unit, means whereby an interlock is formed between the latch unitand the latch actuating unit when they are assembled means carried bythe shutter plate for preventing separationof the latch unit and thelatch actuating unit, and other means carried by the shutter plate forfrictionally securing the screws against rotation.

4. In a device of the character described a latch actuating unit and alatch unit, each adapted to be independently assembled in a door, aslidable interlocking connection formed between the latch and the latchactuating unit whereby they are operatively connected when assembled ina door, and a rotatable member carried by one of the units and havingaportion movable into the path of the slidable interlock formed betweenthe units to prevent separation of the units.

5. In a device of the character described a housing, a self-containedlatch actuating unit mounted therein, a second housing, a self-containedlatch mechanism mounted therein, a slidable interlock formed between thehousings and the mechanisms contained therein, and means movable intothe path of the slidable interlock to prevent separation of the housingsand the contained mechanisms when assembled.

6. In a device of the character described, a housing, a self containedlatch actuating unit mounted therein, a second housing, a self containedlatch mechanism mounted therein, a slidable interlock formed between thehousings andthe mechanisms contained therein, means movable into thepath of the slidable interlock to prevent separation of the housingl andthe contained mechanism when assembled, and other means to secure saidmovable means when moved into the path of the slidable interlock.

7. In a device of the character described, a housing, a self containedlatch actuating unit mounted therein, a second housing, a self containedlatch mechanism mounted therein, a slidable interlock formed between thehousings and the mechanisms contained therein, said housings beingdisposed at right angles to each other when assembled, a rotatablemember carried by the latch actuating unit and having a cut out portionre 'stering with the slidable interlock when the ousings and mechanismsare being assembled, said rotatable memberbeing rotated after assemblyof the housings and mechanisms and presenting a blocking member toprevent separation of the housings and contained mechanisms, and meansfor securing the rotary member against rotation when the block is inposition.

WALTER R. SCHLAGE.

